Wednesday, 15 January 2014

Badger (European)

  • There are eight different species of badger.
  • The word badger is said to derive from the French ‘bêcheur’ meaning ‘digger’.
  • Badgers have been present in the British Isles since at least 300,000-400,000 years ago.
  • A male badger is called a boar, a female is a sow and the young are called cubs. Interestingly, the Welsh name for badgers is ‘moch daear’ which translates to ‘earth pig’.
  • Badgers live in complex underground burrow system called ‘setts’ that they dig themselves. Some can be centuries old, as can the regular paths badgers use above ground!
  • A family group of, usually around six badgers live in each sett. Setts have a number of rooms or ‘chambers’ some for sleeping in others for having young in. There are a number of tunnels leading to the outside world. The largest sett in Britain was found to extend over 15x35m and had 12 entrances.
  • Badgers are incredibly clean and will not defecate (poo) in their sett – they have special latrines (communal toilets) comprising of shallow pits placed away from the setts on the edge of their territory. They will not bring food into the sett either.
  • Unlike dogs and foxes, badgers have five toes and very powerful, long claws, particularly on the front feet.
  • Badgers will eat several hundred earthworms every night, but also love insects, bluebell bulbs and elder berries - you can often find these bushes growing near to the setts.
  • Badgers have a keen sense of smell and can dig down for rabbit nests and grubs under the surface.
  • Because they have very thick skin and long claws they are one of the species that can kill and eat hedgehogs!
  • Badgers are protected in the UK by the Protection of badgers Act 1992 and schedule 6 of the wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is classified as a species of conservation concern by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. They are listed under Appendix III of the Bern convention.
  • Although they are protected in the UK, badgers are under threat of being killed in large numbers in a misguided attempt to control TB in dairy cattle.
=> The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".

=> They are the second heaviest land mammals in the world (after the elephant) - weighing up to 3&1/2 tons.

=> They can live up to 50 years under the right conditions.

=> The oldest hippo was named "Donna". It died at the age of 62.

=> Their closest living relatives are whales, dolphins and porpoises. Having the same ancestor about 55million years ago.

=> They are herbivores animal and also terrestial. (although they are land animals, they spend most of their time in water)

=> They spend 4 - 5hours grazing on land and can consume over 60kg of grass per night.

=> They are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. - A hippo can crush a Crocodile with it's powerful jaws.

=> Irrespective of their short legs, they can run faster than most humans as their speed have been clocked at 30Km/h over short distances. But they can't jump!

=> The texture of their teeth is synonymous to the tusks of an elephant. - The hippo's teeth is also made of ivory.

=> The milk produced by the hippo is pink in color.

=> There is a myth that the hippopotamus sweat's blood. But in actual fact, the mammal doesnot have a sweat gland. The red fluid seen on it's body (when it is excited) is secrete by one of it's unique glands. The fluid is actually a skin moistener and acts as a sun screen along side other fluids.

=> They undergo what i call "Automatic Resurfacing" under water (lol). This is because an adult hippo while under water needs to resurface every 3 - 5mins to breathe. Even a hippo sleeping under water will rise and breathe without waking up. (the process is automatic) - See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf
 source: www.onekind.org
The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".
- See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf
The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".
- See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf
=> The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".

=> They are the second heaviest land mammals in the world (after the elephant) - weighing up to 3&1/2 tons.

=> They can live up to 50 years under the right conditions.

=> The oldest hippo was named "Donna". It died at the age of 62.

=> Their closest living relatives are whales, dolphins and porpoises. Having the same ancestor about 55million years ago.

=> They are herbivores animal and also terrestial. (although they are land animals, they spend most of their time in water)

=> They spend 4 - 5hours grazing on land and can consume over 60kg of grass per night.

=> They are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. - A hippo can crush a Crocodile with it's powerful jaws.

=> Irrespective of their short legs, they can run faster than most humans as their speed have been clocked at 30Km/h over short distances. But they can't jump!

=> The texture of their teeth is synonymous to the tusks of an elephant. - The hippo's teeth is also made of ivory.

=> The milk produced by the hippo is pink in color.

=> There is a myth that the hippopotamus sweat's blood. But in actual fact, the mammal doesnot have a sweat gland. The red fluid seen on it's body (when it is excited) is secrete by one of it's unique glands. The fluid is actually a skin moistener and acts as a sun screen along side other fluids.

=> They undergo what i call "Automatic Resurfacing" under water (lol). This is because an adult hippo while under water needs to resurface every 3 - 5mins to breathe. Even a hippo sleeping under water will rise and breathe without waking up. (the process is automatic) - See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf
=> The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".

=> They are the second heaviest land mammals in the world (after the elephant) - weighing up to 3&1/2 tons.

=> They can live up to 50 years under the right conditions.

=> The oldest hippo was named "Donna". It died at the age of 62.

=> Their closest living relatives are whales, dolphins and porpoises. Having the same ancestor about 55million years ago.

=> They are herbivores animal and also terrestial. (although they are land animals, they spend most of their time in water)

=> They spend 4 - 5hours grazing on land and can consume over 60kg of grass per night.

=> They are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. - A hippo can crush a Crocodile with it's powerful jaws.

=> Irrespective of their short legs, they can run faster than most humans as their speed have been clocked at 30Km/h over short distances. But they can't jump!

=> The texture of their teeth is synonymous to the tusks of an elephant. - The hippo's teeth is also made of ivory.

=> The milk produced by the hippo is pink in color.

=> There is a myth that the hippopotamus sweat's blood. But in actual fact, the mammal doesnot have a sweat gland. The red fluid seen on it's body (when it is excited) is secrete by one of it's unique glands. The fluid is actually a skin moistener and acts as a sun screen along side other fluids.

=> They undergo what i call "Automatic Resurfacing" under water (lol). This is because an adult hippo while under water needs to resurface every 3 - 5mins to breathe. Even a hippo sleeping under water will rise and breathe without waking up. (the process is automatic) - See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf
=> The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".

=> They are the second heaviest land mammals in the world (after the elephant) - weighing up to 3&1/2 tons.

=> They can live up to 50 years under the right conditions.

=> The oldest hippo was named "Donna". It died at the age of 62.

=> Their closest living relatives are whales, dolphins and porpoises. Having the same ancestor about 55million years ago.

=> They are herbivores animal and also terrestial. (although they are land animals, they spend most of their time in water)

=> They spend 4 - 5hours grazing on land and can consume over 60kg of grass per night.

=> They are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. - A hippo can crush a Crocodile with it's powerful jaws.

=> Irrespective of their short legs, they can run faster than most humans as their speed have been clocked at 30Km/h over short distances. But they can't jump!

=> The texture of their teeth is synonymous to the tusks of an elephant. - The hippo's teeth is also made of ivory.

=> The milk produced by the hippo is pink in color.

=> There is a myth that the hippopotamus sweat's blood. But in actual fact, the mammal doesnot have a sweat gland. The red fluid seen on it's body (when it is excited) is secrete by one of it's unique glands. The fluid is actually a skin moistener and acts as a sun screen along side other fluids.

=> They undergo what i call "Automatic Resurfacing" under water (lol). This is because an adult hippo while under water needs to resurface every 3 - 5mins to breathe. Even a hippo sleeping under water will rise and breathe without waking up. (the process is automatic) - See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf
=> The name "Hippopotamus" is a combination of two greek words; Hippo - meaning horse, and Potamos - meaning river. So it is also known as "River Horse".

=> They are the second heaviest land mammals in the world (after the elephant) - weighing up to 3&1/2 tons.

=> They can live up to 50 years under the right conditions.

=> The oldest hippo was named "Donna". It died at the age of 62.

=> Their closest living relatives are whales, dolphins and porpoises. Having the same ancestor about 55million years ago.

=> They are herbivores animal and also terrestial. (although they are land animals, they spend most of their time in water)

=> They spend 4 - 5hours grazing on land and can consume over 60kg of grass per night.

=> They are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. - A hippo can crush a Crocodile with it's powerful jaws.

=> Irrespective of their short legs, they can run faster than most humans as their speed have been clocked at 30Km/h over short distances. But they can't jump!

=> The texture of their teeth is synonymous to the tusks of an elephant. - The hippo's teeth is also made of ivory.

=> The milk produced by the hippo is pink in color.

=> There is a myth that the hippopotamus sweat's blood. But in actual fact, the mammal doesnot have a sweat gland. The red fluid seen on it's body (when it is excited) is secrete by one of it's unique glands. The fluid is actually a skin moistener and acts as a sun screen along side other fluids.

=> They undergo what i call "Automatic Resurfacing" under water (lol). This is because an adult hippo while under water needs to resurface every 3 - 5mins to breathe. Even a hippo sleeping under water will rise and breathe without waking up. (the process is automatic) - See more at: http://www.wittylens.com/2014/01/13-1-interesting-facts-about.html#sthash.VSOEk1wq.dpuf

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